I would love your feed back...Can anyone tell me some good ideas for advertising/display of my candles. The candles I make are superb! One large candle will scent up an entire room, I make them very strong!

Please share with me your ideas!

Sowelu

March 27th, 2002, 02:34 PM

:boing: :boing: :boing:

Sowelu

March 27th, 2002, 03:02 PM

As soon as I get my web cam up, I will post some pictures here of my candles.:)

Lavender

March 27th, 2002, 03:05 PM

Your candles sounds great! I don't have any ideas for you yet. What about packaging them in celephane bags? That way, people can see the candles & celephane will let the scent out too so people can smell the candles.

Maybe this thread would be better in Arts & Crafts. That way, it won't get lost in the high volume here. Perhaps one of the mods can move it for you?

Sowelu

March 27th, 2002, 03:07 PM

Yeah....;) :p :)

flar7

March 27th, 2002, 03:30 PM

well, you could run off a couple hundred flyers and have some
energetic people post them on windshields and about town,
also the internet would be a good place to advertise candles.

A local head shop might be interested in buying some from time
to time....

will think of more later if I can......

Lavender

March 27th, 2002, 03:53 PM

What about craft shows? Lots of places (parks & malls) have open markets in the summer...kinda like a farmers/crafts market. You can rent a table or share one with a friend. Also, in the fall, check with the local schools. I know the ones in our area all have Christmas fairs & craft shows in the late fall.

Niamh

March 27th, 2002, 06:27 PM

Good idea, WildChild!

Do you have any independently owned boutiques in town that sell candles... or that NEED to sell candles? You might try talking to the proprietor of a small independent business to find out what the market is like and how some other small businesses (like your own) tend to go about selling and marketing.

Lavender

March 27th, 2002, 08:51 PM

Got another idea! Do you do other things or know someone that makes other crafts? You can get together with someone that makes...for example, bath salts or bath fizzies and package them in a gift basket. Perfect for mother's day coming up! :D If you want to make them yourself, there's a whole thread of stuff to make in the Green Room.

Another idea here! If you do up gift baskets, you can take them to places like warehouses & sell them to the guys there - right from the back of your car. I know a woman that does that. She makes up gift baskets with candles & yummy bath products, packaged them up nicely with cellophane & bows. She takes them down to the warehouse area & sell them to the guys who haven't bought a mother's day, valentines, whatever present for their sweetie! Low overhead.

Flaire-FireStar

March 28th, 2002, 12:04 AM

:lol: That's a great idea, Wildchild! (I've never heard of anyone selling stuff out of their back of their car like that before. :T)

emaleth33

March 28th, 2002, 01:33 AM

Hi Jade,
A friend of mine used to make candles and he went around to the convenience stores and asked the manager if he would display and sell them most of the managers were very helpful and he began to sell alot of them just an idea
Emaleth

WtchyChick13

April 1st, 2002, 04:42 AM

Hey there! Have you ever thought of online auction sites? It's a great place to get your feet wet. I've gotten a few regular customers by listing on eBay and epier and I'm working on a new site now. You can get free webspace and set up shop online so when people buy your stuff in person, if they want more, they will know where to go.

Local crafts fairs or consignment shops might be a good idea. Or, if you have a New Age/Witch or even small book store near you, try taking a few of your candles there and see if they will sell them for you. Sometimes they take a small percentage, but it gets your product out there.

As for the packaging thing...there is a new kind of craft cellophane that you wrap and then use the heat of a hair dryer to seal. You wouldn't have to keep it on long (so it shouldn't melt the candles), but gives a nice finished look. Just an idea! :)

Hope this helps and be sure to let us know where you will be selling your stuff, ok??? ;)

Kadynas

April 25th, 2002, 04:22 AM

I loved the gift basket idea myself! :) But if you want to go out on your own and sell them, start simply. Design some little tags for them, draw yourself a logo, and make a couple small brochures... color copies are getting cheaper every day! :lol: (I work as a graphic artist in a printing house, so I should know.)
You might also want to make some flyers and business cards. My aunt makes handwoven rugs, and she goes to all kinds of craft shows and stuff. Her whole thing is making the rugs look like they were done by early colonial people, so her price list and business cards all have an antiquey look to them. You just gotta find a look that goes with what you want your image of your product to be, and then work around that. I wish you luck! I love it when people try to make money at something they enjoy! :)

Old Witch

April 25th, 2002, 09:41 AM

All good ideas..........!! On further thought about the Farmers Market.........you might approach a vendor who sells houseplants and/or cut flowers, and share a booth with them...it would cut both your costs..........